Blacktown City Libraries presents Right Down to the Plumbing
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
· A Sydney Writers' Festival Event
RIGHT DOWN TO THE PLUMBING: SPECULATIVE FICTION AND WORLD-BUILDING
Speculative and fantasy fiction continues to grow in popularity with readers of all ages. How do writers create engaging and believable worlds? How do characters contribute to world-building and what cultural influences are at play?
This is what the focus will be at the Sydney Writers Festival event in Blacktown City on Tuesday, May 20 from 6.30pm.
Well-known authors D.M. Cornish, David Kowalski and Stuart Mayne will discuss the way in which fantasy worlds are created in writing with Western Sydney Young People's Literature Officer, Judith Ridge. (Please see below for biographies on each of the authors)
The Sydney Writers Festival is in its 11th year and will see many of the world's greatest writers and thinkers converge in Sydney at the many events and activities taking place - including Blacktown City.
For further details on the Sydney Writers Festival visit - http://www.swf.org.au
This special Sydney Writers Festival event is FREE to attend, however bookings are essential.
Right Down to the Plumbing - A Sydney Writers Festival event
Where: Max Webber Library Function Centre
Cnr Flushcombe Road & Alpha Street
Blacktown
Cost: FREE - Bookings essential by phoning 9839 6620
Participants
JUDITH RIDGE
Judith Ridge is the Western Sydney Young People's Literature Officer. She is also a writer, editor, teacher and blogger.
D. M. CORNISH
D.M. Cornish's early experiences with C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien convinced him that other worlds existed. By the time he was ready to publish his own story, he had filled 23 journals with pictures, definitions, ideas and histories of his world, the Half-Continent. It was not until 2003 that a chance encounter with a children's publisher gave him an opportunity to develop these ideas further and bring Monster Blood Tattoo to life. Monster Blood Tattoo Book 1: Foundling was a 2007 CBCA Honour Book (Older Readers). Book 2: Lamplighter will be released in May 2008.
DAVID KOWALSKI
David Kowalski is an obstetrician and gynaecologist practising in Western Sydney. He has been published in professional medical journals but The Company of the Dead is his first work of fiction, and won the Golden Aurealis and the Aurealis award for Best Science Fiction novel in 2007.
STUART MAYNE
Stuart Mayne is a book and magazine editor who has worked in publishing for 16 years. He currently edits Aurealis - Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction magazine. Aurealis is Australia's first and most successful professional fantasy and science fiction magazine, published since 1990. Aurealis was designed to help showcase Australian genre talent. Stuart is also an expert on Australian crime fiction author Arthur Upfield, editing Upfield's last published novel, The Great Melbourne Cup Mystery and a collection of Upfield's unpublished short fiction.